The Between

“An extraordinary work of humane imagination . . . call it magic realism with soul.”—Locus

“Finely honed . . . always engages and frequently surprises.”—New York Times Book Review

A man risks his soul and his sanity to save his family from malevolent forces in this brilliant novel of horror and the supernatural from the award-winning pioneer of speculative fiction and author of the classic My Soul to Keep. 

When Hilton was a boy, his grandmother sacrificed her life to save him from drowning. Thirty years later, he begins to suspect that he was never meant to survive that accident, and that dark forces are working to rectify that mistake. 

When Hilton's wife, the only elected African American judge in Dade County, Florida, begins to receive racist hate mail from a man she once prosecuted, Hilton becomes obsessed with protecting his family. The demons lurking outside are matched by his internal terrors—macabre nightmares, more intense and disturbing than any he has ever experienced. Are these bizarre dreams the dark imaginings of a man losing his hold on sanity—or are they harbingers of terrible events to come? 

As Hilton battles both the sociopath threatening to destroy his family and the even more terrifying enemy stalking his sleep, the line between reality and fantasy dissolves . . . 

Chilling and utterly convincing, The Between is the haunting story of a man desperately trying to hold on to the people and life he loves as he slowly loses himself. 

A brilliant novel of horror and the supernatural in which a middle–class African–American family's very existence is threatened by inner and outer demons, now in a brand–new mass market edition, from acclaimed author Tananarive Due.

When Hilton was just a boy, his aged grandmother saved him from drowning by pulling him out of a treacherous ocean current, sacrificing her life for his. Now, thirty years later, Hilton begins to think his borrowed time is running out. His wife, the only elected African–American judge in Dade County, Florida, has begun receiving racist hate mail from a man she once prosecuted, and Hilton's sleep is plagued by nightmares more horrible than any he has ever experienced.

As he battles both the psychotic stalking of his family and the unseen enemy that haunts his sleep, Hilton's sense of reality is slipping away. Shocking and utterly convincing, The Between is a novel about a man desperately trying to hold on to the people and life he loves but may have already lost, and it holds readers suspended between the real and the surreal until the final moment of chilling resolution.

“This novel of horror and the supernatural has an intriguing and suspenseful plot.” - Booklist

“Due masterfully maintains suspense all the while delineating her characters with a psychological realism that makes the unbelieble credible.” - Washington Post Book World

“An irresistible page-turner.” - Emerge

“A finely honed work that always engages and frequently surprises.” - New York Times Book Review

"Due’s first novel, a skillful blend of horror and the supernatural, poses questions about life and identity that transcend racial boundaries.” - Publishers Weekly

“An intriguing first novel...neatly plotted and smoothly told.” - Kirkus Reviews

“The Between weaves the real and the surreal into a compelling tapestry of suspense and horror. A masterful debut.” - Connie Briscoe, author of Sisters & Lovers

“Until now, African-American fiction has lacked a major horror writer. Tananarive Due fills that gap. Her intriguing plot holds readers in suspense until she neatly and profoundly ties together all the threads in the final three pages.” - Palm Beach Post

“Due’s finely written, offbeat story is a provocative exploration into the fragile distinctions of reality.” - Oceanside Blade-Citizen

“The Between is a powerful debut.” - Southern Book Trade

“An extraordinary work of humane imagination...Call it magic realism with soul. The closest compatriot of The Between is Toni Morrison’s Beloved. Not shabby.” - Locus